iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Delighted that Anna Gilbert's first PhD paper is now available online (or DM me for a copy) authors.elsevier.com/c/1ngejzLNSr... It quantifies how #microplastics become increasingly difficult to identity by FTIR or Raman as they weather, potentially leading to underestimates of MP loads.

authors.elsevier.com

Please wait whilst we redirect you

All content on this site: Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For all open access content, the relevant licensing terms apply.

020

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Still time to apply for this #NERC funded #PhD on #biosolids and #biochar. Please forward to anyone who might be interested. They can email me (mark.hodson@york.ac.uk) for details. Funding is for UK nationals only I'm afraid. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

findaphd.com

Is biochar production the answer to biosolid reuse? at University of York on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Is biochar production the answer to biosolid reuse? at University of York, listed on FindAPhD.com

000

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Great to hear "A life without worms" broadcast last week on BBC Radio4 with Alan Davies and Sandra Salazar D’eca from go-grow.org.uk/our-story/ What would happen if #earthworms disappeared? You can find out here www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

022

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Good to chat #earthworms and #flooding with Michael Berenbrink, Kristian Daly, Megan Klaar, Qiuyu Zhu and Ben Pile today as part of our #Leverhulme Trust funded project - Sink or Swim

020

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Tonight's "Worm moon" - so called as it's the first moon of Spring and is supposed to mark the time when earthworms become active again after the colder winter months. The earthworms that we've been sampling obviously haven't read the script!

040

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Does converting #biosolids to #biochar maintain their benefits as a #soil amendment whilst minimising any residual risk due to #contaminants? We are recruiting to a #NERC Ecosolutions #PhD. Please share and DM me for more information if interested. shorturl.at/ldwVW

shorturl.at

Is biochar production the answer to biosolid reuse? at University of York on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Is biochar production the answer to biosolid reuse? at University of York, listed on FindAPhD.com

031

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Great to see Xiao Xiao at University of York for graduation for her PhD yesterday. You can find her thesis papers on #earthworms #microplastics and #cadmium at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... and www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

021

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Congrats to Zheng Fang on his latest PhD paper. This one shows that #microplastics can reduce the toxicity of salinity to #earthworms and that salinity is a more significant environmental challenge to earthworms than microplastics. authors.elsevier.com/c/1lEy415DSl...

authors.elsevier.com

031

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Celebratory post-viva beers celebrating with James MacDonald of Queen Mary together with internal Andrew Leitch and supervisors @anneropiquet.bsky.social and Huw Jones. James' biogeochemical adventure continues next month when he starts at Bristol working with Penny Johnes

010

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

#job for a Technician in the Biology dept at the University of York and working with myself at @uoyenvironment.bsky.social on projects to improve nutrient retention, water retention, and carbon sequestration in soils: gathering and analysing data. Apply by 30/3/2025. jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/tech...

jobs.york.ac.uk

Jobs - The University of York

025

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Latest NERC rejection in. Any thoughts on who might fund research into mechanisms by which #earthworms boost #plant growth as a follow up to this study www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... and as a means to identify methods to try and reduce fertiliser inputs welcome!

sciencedirect.com

Enhanced plant growth in the presence of earthworms correlates with changes in soil microbiota but not nutrient availability

Earthworms enhance plant growth but the precise mechanism by which this occurs is not known. An understanding of the mechanism could potentially suppo…

000

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

A good days sampling on the River Swale floodplain with #EcoWild PGR Mahmuda Islam

030

Reposted by Mark Hodson

Paul Hallett @pdhallett.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Cool PhD project combatting soil erosion in Ethiopia with indigenous agricultural plants. Funded by @ukri.org QUARTILES DLA and complementary to a couple new projects with Ethiopian scientists funded by REDAA and GCBC so you will be surrounded by a team. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

064

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

First paper of the year out today - 2nd paper from Xiao Xiao's PhD. We show that natural weathering of #microplastics increases potential sorption of Cd to them, that #biofilm development is important in this and that PLA (a biodegradable plastic) is more sorptive than PE.

sciencedirect.com

Biodegradable microplastics adsorb more Cd than conventional microplastic and biofilms enhance their adsorption

Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) mulch has been developed to replace conventional polyethylene (PE) mulch in agriculture to reduce plastic pollutio…

010

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Job Alert - a 1 year PDRA position as part of our LeverhulmeTrust funded #earthworm project "Sink or Swim" is available working with Dr Michael Berenbrink, University of Liverpool investigating haemoglobin levels in earthworms. Closing date-31st Jan 2025 my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...

my.corehr.com

Job Specification

002

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Still not quite ready for the holidays to end!

010

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Congrats to Sammani Ramanayaka of Lancaster Environment Centre for successfully defending her thesis on impacts of #microplastics and plasticisers on soil microbia with myself and @john-quinton.bsky.social examining. In all the excitement I forgot to take a photo so here's a party popper instead!

media.tenor.com

a cartoon of a bunny jumping out of a party hat

ALT: a cartoon of a bunny jumping out of a party hat

031

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Couldn't make it to #BES2024 but we had a busy day using all eight hours of daylight (and a final sample supplemented by torch light) sampling with Ben at Church Farm AHDB / ADAS legume and compost trials to try and boost #earthworm populations. Here's Ben with an earthworm for scale.

120

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Off sampling tomorrow for #earthworms in water logged soils as part of our @LeverhulmeTrust funded earthworms and #flooding project. Mustard tin for scale?

051

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Lake Tadcaster now back - will be interesting to re-survey the #earthworms once the #flooding recedes as part of our @LeverhulmeTrust project on #earthworms, #flooding and #climate change.

141

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Congrats to Jianting Feng from @LeedsUniCivil for a good defence on his thesis on metal speciation in sewage sludge on Wednesday. Really enjoyable viva with Jianting and Miller Camargo-Valero. Thesis papers already available link.springer.com/article/10.1... link.springer.com/article/10.1...

020

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Evidence of #earthworms - we know you're in there

020

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Back from a full day of #earthworm sampling near Skegness. 24 pits dug and sorted in a day with some daylight left. My back is feeling quite sore

110

Reposted by Mark Hodson

Biological Recording Company @biologicalrecording.co.uk · 04/11/2024

How do you identify earthworms? In the UK we are lucky in that most ID can be done from external features. A lot of the ID is to related to counting the segments that a feature appears on, with the type of head, shape of the tubercula pubertatis and setae spacing also important. #earthworms

074

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 28/10/2024

Delighted to chat to ffinlo last week about our new @LeverhulmeTrust funded project on #earthworms and #flooding. You can watch the interview at 8point9.com/professor-ma...

8point9.com

Professor Mark Hodson - How does flooding affect earthworms? - 8.9ha

[…]

010

Reposted by Mark Hodson

Martin Smith @martinrsmith.bsky.social · 21/10/2024

Cuts to science spending could see UKRI awarding no new grants next year - as so much of their annual budget is already committed www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

researchprofessionalnews.com

Fears budget squeeze may stop UKRI awarding new grants in 2025 - Research Professional News

Flat cash R&D settlement could also see universities hit by drop in quality-related funding

62543

Reposted by Mark Hodson

Jan Willem van Groenigen @jwvangroenigen.bsky.social · 20/10/2024

I just found out that Science of the Total Environment (STOTEN) has been put on hold by Clarivate Web of Science. This means that concerns have been raised about its quality (I’m not shocked…) and that new articles will not be included in the database. This is big. mjl.clarivate.com/search-results

mjl.clarivate.com

Web of Science Master Journal List - WoS MJL by Clarivate

0116

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 10/09/2024

Back from a sunny day checking out sampling sites for our new #Leverhulme project "Sink or Swim" about #earthworms and #flooding. Ben is sampling on the floor of "Lake Tadcaster" next to the John Smith's brewery. Users of the A64 in the UK will know the field and be amazed it wasn't under water.

030

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 24/07/2024

Congrats to Xiao Xiao - first PhD paper on #microplastic and #earthworms published 2 days pre-viva. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... MPs adsorb Cd in soil, reducing Cd concentration in soil pore water thereby reducing Cd uptake by earthworms. Biodegradable PLA more sorbtive than PE.

112

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 08/05/2024

last day to apply for this exciting #postdoc position working on #earthworms and #flooding

010

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · 11/04/2024

Come and work with us at University of York on an exciting, multi-institution two year Leverhulme Trust funded project looking at the impact of #flooding on #earthworms #job #postdoc #SoilHealth See jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese... for details or email me direct mark.hodson@york.ac.uk

121